The Sister Split

by Auriane Desombre (Author)

Reading Level: 6th − 7th Grade

A pair of soon-to-be stepsisters creates a plan that will stop their parents from getting married--but they soon learn that matters of the heart can surprise you! This is a fresh sister story evocative of The Parent Trap with LGBTQ themes for the modern reader.

Autumn is looking forward to summer vacation. She and her best friend plan on going to all the best ice cream places their stomachs can handle--and in NYC, the possibilities can't get any sweeter.

Linnea is still not over the fact that her dad has found love after her parents' divorce. Luckily, she can take out all her feelings on the tennis courts for a winning summer.

But then Autumn and Linnea discover the news: their parents are getting married. Autumn will be moving to the suburbs to live with her soon-to-be stepdad and stepsister, which means kissing the fun summer with her best friend goodbye. For Linnea, she knows her dream of getting her parents back together is officially over.

Devastated, the two of them come up with an idea: if they can split up their parents, their lives can go back to normal. As Autumn and Linnea secretly try to sabotage everything from date nights to wedding planning, the two of them discover that having a sister is not the worst thing after all . . . but will they learn about love in a whole new way?

"A sweet and compelling story on the many unexpected and wonderful shapes love and family can take."--Rachel Lippincott, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Five Feet Apart

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ALA/Booklist

This funny, sweet book is a necessary addition to any library.

Publishers Weekly

Soon-to-be stepsisters employ Parent Trap-style hijinks in an effort to break up their newly engaged parents in this middle grade debut from Desombre (I Think I Love You). Twelve-year-old Autumn has an epic summer mapped out, involving New York City outings with best friend Saskia and avoiding game nights with her mother's boyfriend Harrison ("Harristinks," per Autumn) as well as his "boring" 12-year-old daughter Linnea. Those plans implode, however, when her mother announces her engagement to Harrison and the family's upcoming move to his home in Connecticut. Desperate to regain her old life, Autumn hatches a plan to break up her mother and Harrison, roping her soon-to-be stepsister into the scheme, which involves sabotaging moving day and wedding planning. But the longer she shares a room with Linnea, the more her resolve falters, and Autumn's emotions are further complicated by her own confusing feelings for Saskia and her mother's inability to see Autumn's deep, internal struggle with their rapidly changing life. The realistically middle grade voice pairs with a raw, real portrayal of a tween navigating a newly blended family and a burgeoning queer identity. Characters default to white. Ages 8-12. Agent: Penny Moore, Aevitas Creative Management. (Mar.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Gr 5 Up--At the end of sixth grade, Autumn is looking forward to spending the summer with her best friend Saskia visiting all the best pizza and ice cream places in New York City. But she soon finds out that her mom is engaged to the man she has been dating and plans to get married. If that isn't bad enough, Autumn and her brother George, who is leaving for college soon, will be moving to the suburbs of Connecticut to live with her mom's fiancé Harrison (or "Harristinks" as she refers to him) and his daughter Linnea. In the vein of The Parent Trap, Autumn and Linnea try to sabotage date nights, moving day, and wedding planning to break their parents up so that Autumn can get back to her regular life. Autumn struggles with the move as she balances her mom not having as much time for her while spending all her time wedding planning, sharing her life (and mom) with a new stepsister, and realizing that she feelings she has for her best friend might be more than just friendly. This heartwarming story explores the challenges of growing up and identity while also adapting to new surroundings and rediscovering the meaning of family. Main characters are cued as white. VERDICT This story of blended families with LGBTQIA+ themes will be popular with realistic fiction readers.--Sarah Polace

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

Praise for The Sister Split:

A sweet and compelling story on the many unexpected and wonderful shapes love and family can take. Filled with the growing pains of self-discovery and first crushes, this book is as heartwarming as it is fun.—Rachel Lippincott, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Five Feet Apart

Praise for Auriane Desombre: 

A fun exploration. —School Library Journal

An emotional and important message that will certainly resonate with readers. —The Nerd Daily 

Fabulously fun, quirly and entertaining. —Utopia State of Mind 

A cinematic classic fit for the big screen. —Bookstacked




Auriane Desombre
Auriane Desombre is a middle-school teacher and freelance editor. She holds an MA in English Literature and an MFA in Creative Writing for Children & Young Adults. She lives in Los Angeles with her dog, Sammy, who is a certified bad boy. She is the author of I Think I Love You, and The Sister Split is her middle-grade debut.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780593568712
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Delacorte Press
Publication date
March 12, 2024
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV013020 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Marriage & Divorce
JUV013080 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Blended Families
JUV060000 - Juvenile Fiction | LGBT
Library of Congress categories
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